Fire Emblem Fates X: After Dusk
by Basement Spaghetti
Summary: Seventeen years have passed since the three year Battle of Kingdoms, and Nohr rules in peace. Praeto, leader of the Nohrian effort, lives in total solitude in the northern mountains. But the appearance of a mysterious woman prompts his return from retirement to face shadowy figures that invade his reality. Post-Conquest AU. Updates Monday, or ASAP. Please leave a review!
1. CHPT 1: Before Dusk

Chapter One

"Before Dusk"

The sun was setting behind a range of mountains that flanked the stronghold within which Praeto lived. Being the third in line to the throne had benefits, like money and power, and led to a lot of advancement from Praeto during his youth. But now, in his middle-age, Praeto found himself diving into a world of knowledge and tactics, rather than front-of-the-line combat. This stronghold was his personal library, in which he and his dear wife lived, spending their days deep in study about many things, but mostly in peace-seeking efforts and philosophy. It was in the northern reaches of the kingdom, and was were Praeto was raised in isolation throughout his childhood. It was a convenient place, though. Only six days' ride to the capital should the need arise, and on a major trade route to the Ice Tribe.

Seventeen years had passed since Nohr annexed Hoshido. The country was given rights, and they operated autonomously, but like a horribly kept secret, everyone down to the poorest peasant knew the Hoshido was mere a puppet of Nohr. King Garon may have been a demon, quite literally, but he didn't lose any of his cunning. The bloody conflict lasted three and a half years and left Hoshido in absolute shambles while the greater Empire of Nohr was able to rise above, and seize a total annexation. King Xander, now seventeen years into his reign, works hand in hand with the current regent of Hoshido, and Praeto's own sister by blood, Queen Hinoka. Luckily, for both kingdoms, King Xander and Queen Hinoka got along very well, seeing each other as equal peers in all areas, from combat to mental faculty to leadership. As a token of good faith, Xander even built the Hoshidian Royals a villa in the southern plains of Nohr, in which they could retire at any point. Hinoka opened the place up for the Nohrian Royals as well, but only Camilla and Elise frequented the place. Leo was on a worldwide journey with his beloved wife, Selena, in order to learn about magic and politics from countries far abroad and had been gone ten years. Xander was far too busy ruling two major countries and countless small tribes to spend any time away from the capital.

Praeto was seated on a balcony facing the sunset, and was using the natural light to delve into his text. His orange hair was beginning to fade into grey, and unlike during his time on the field, Praeto would go for long bursts without picking up a razor, so he had accumulated a large amount of orange and grey scruff on his face. It was something that Mozu found endearing, so he tended to keep it for longer than he probably should simply for the fact it made his wife happy. He looked up from his text and smiled. His beautiful wife was probably helping the maid make dinner right as he read. The maids were trained cooks, spending years in training to be the very best that they could be, but nothing compared to the cooking that Mozu would make, sometimes using only vegetables and broth.

As if on cue, a pair of arms were wrapped around him, and a head of sleek brown hair was resting on Praeto's shoulder, belonging to his wife, Mozu. She was someone Praeto had a hand in creating. Mozu was a simple farmer, and yet, she had infinite amounts of potential. Xander called what she had "Aptitude" for improvement, and Praeto found it fitting enough. He began tutoring her three months into her time in his army. Until then, she served hardly more as a maid, due to her lacking abilities in combat. And yet, Praeto felt something from the girl, so he trained her in many things. He brought her on missions and made her battle, and trained her during their time between battles. He gave her a rigorous education, and in return, she taught Praeto how to hunt and how to cook and how to farm. Seven months into her tutoring, and Mozu had already begun learning more weapons. She became the army's Master of Arms, and from that point, was assigned as Praeto's personal guard. One month after that, Praeto proposed during one of their normal sessions, and she agreed to marry him. Praeto was nineteen years old, and Mozu was seventeen, and despite being young and stupid, the two were in love, and were wed the night of the new years, under a full array of stars and a full moon.

"Where does the time go, Mozu?" Praeto spoke wistfully, turning his head slightly to the side to kiss Mozu on the cheek, before turning forward again. "We're both nearly forty, we have three children, and yet, my love for you is still as strong as it has ever been." Praeto stared out into the mountains, which were eating away the waning sun, heralding the coming dusk. "Have you heard word from Kana? I sent for her, and told those going to send word of her before they returned."

Mozu nodded briefly, and extended one hand from her embrace, holding in it a pink envelope. A little dragon emblem was pressed into the wax that clasped the thing shut, bearing the mark of the line Praeto was a part of: the Nohrian Royals. The Dusk Dragon. Kana bore the mark with a great deal of irony, like Praeto, for the fact that she was able to turn into a Dusk Dragon due to the manifestation of the dragon blood coursing through the family's veins. However, Praeto had three children, Kana included, and yet, she was the only one able to manifest her dragon form. His eldest son, Zechariah, was able to only turn parts of his body into those of the dragon, but has never fully formed into a dragon. His youngest daughter, Miia, has shown no proficiency in either category.

"Isn't Miia still out in Hoshido, though?" Mozu tilted her head slightly to get a better glance at the face of her husband.

He shrugged. "I sent word to Hoshido as well, but her orders were to visit Hoshido for one month, and return to the plains of Shwarshire." Praeto sat forward and placed his book on a small table to his side. Mozu crossed before him and took a place in her own chair, before Praeto and to his left, half facing the balcony, half facing him. Age had taken to Mozu as gracefully as snow, because despite being in her older thirties, Mozu looked as if she was a young woman. She had matured, certainly, from the war, and now looked at the world with higher levels of intensity and love. In fact, Mozu often made fun of Praeto for the fact that he was aging so poorly in comparison.

Mozu smiled at him. "What about Zech?" Whereas Kana and Praeto were nearly inseparable during the war, Mozu was that close with both Zechariah and Miia. Praeto trained them well, and tutored them like he had their mother, but it was always Mozu that brought with her that motherly side that each of the children required. As such, she became the favorite of the children besides Kana, who was already too old and had grown too close to Praeto during the conflict.

"Zechariah is coming on his own. I told him specifically to return once he had gone and had discussions with the Wind Tribe over some border skirmish with the Kitsune. And judging by recent reports, he's probably on his way home." Praeto scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I'd say he's back in Windmire, if I had to guess. He wanted to go see Seigbert and Xander before coming back to Armada."

A maid appeared and offered to the couple a tray of tea and cakes. Praeto nodded for her to leave the platter on a table on the side opposite the table holding the book. The maid did so and bowed before exiting back into the castle. Praeto smiled gently. "Gods, she reminds me of Felicia. The lot of them do, honestly." He smiled, lifted a cup of tea to his lips, and took a sip. "Makes me fond for the years lost."

Mozu sighed. "I haven't heard that name in years." She shook her head slowly. "How are Niles and Nina doing?"

"Last I heard of Niles was that two years ago, he left his position in the military to go on a life of reflection and discovery out of Nohr. Perhaps, he wanted to find some way to grieve for Felicia. He only left a note of resignation, and vanished." Praeto sighed. "Nina is doing well in his place, though. I recently heard she led a strike against a troublesome vein in the northern states, and wiped out the enemy resistance with little casualties, on either side. Truly, she is remarkable."

Mozu nodded. "Nina was always a good girl. Thank goodness the Deeprealm slowed her growth, like our Kana's, or else they'd be as old as us by now!" The pair laughed. These kinds of conversations were a daily occurrence, and perhaps that was why Praeto loved them so much. Perhaps this was the reason why it had been many years since Praeto left his fortress and the surrounding territory. It was called Armada. A large fort erected on the rocky crags of the mountains in the northwestern area of Nohr. It was originally the place that Praeto was raised, but now it was renovated and made for a place for Praeto to live in retirement.

Twenty years, two months, and three days had passed since Praeto made the decision to remain in Nohr and lead an army against the kingdom of his birth. Seventeen years, eight months, and sixteen days had passed since the war was declared at an end. For another ten years, Praeto and Mozu worked tirelessly to create a world of peace for Nohr, quashing rebellion and resent using words rather than the sword, at the call of Xander, ruling in Windmire. Rather than run in fear when they heard the legion of Praeto coming, people flocked to him, showering him as a hero. He retired after a final deliberation with the Kitsune tribe in Hoshido, bringing the final major faction around to the way of peace. Xander was going to make sure his name went down in history as a hero, and yet, it left Praeto feeling a bit empty inside. The titles and the fame were nice, but it wasn't really fit for him. That, he realized some time ago, was the main reason he sequestered himself in the mountains. To escape the reality that he was a hero, and all of the stuff that came with such a title.

The couple finished their tea and cakes with some small talk. This and that about the books they had been diving into recently, and the text Mozu was planning on putting together. A novel she said, one that would chronicle the viewpoint of the wife of the greatest hero in all of Nohr. Praeto gave a slight frown. "Please tell me this is from Effie's point of view. Xander would be a much better hero than I would."

Mozu chuckled, and stood upright, and for a brief moment, Praeto felt as though he was transported back to his Deeprealm castle, staring up into the light at Mozu, who stood in the fluttering of the cherry blossoms of his favorite tree. He felt young and full of life again, and Mozu looked as she did at that time. She smiled at him, and reached out her hand for him to take it.

"C'mon, Praeto. Let's get the castle ready for our children."

Praeto smiled and nodded.

"Sure."

The mountains fully swallowed the setting sun, and left the word cast in a blanket of darkness. Dusk had come to Nohr.

* * *

It was dark. Incredibly dark, in fact, much the same way it was in Castle Shirasagi, but something was different this time. Bengta was staring up into a open sky. She lay in grass, and around her were trees. They weren't very densely packed together, so she was either in a small grove or on the outskirts of a larger forest. Bengta sat up. This place felt somewhat familiar to her, as if she had fought a battle here once before. It felt too familiar. She knew it was within what was once Nohr, judging by her summation. Hoshido wasn't quite so glum.

She was startled out of her thoughts by the sudden appearance of a bright light. A small orb, glowing in the sky, spun around and illuminated the long blonde hair falling off of Bengta's head. On her hairband; a silver and black butterfly, given to her by her mother, she was told. Her eyes glowed a deep red, and beheld the orb, which drifted down into the open palms of the young woman. From the orb, a familiar voice resonated. One she once thought lost.

"Bengta, my dearest friend, I call to you from death itself. Because this message is set up in case I fail, and if my calculations are correct, it should find you in safety, for the moment."

Bengta shuddered.

"Az... Azura?" The words came out in a whimper. Her friend sacrificed herself four months ago to defeat Garon in his monstrous form. She burst into water right before Bengta's eyes. How was this possible?

"Do not try and speak to this spell, Bengta. Doing so will only be in vain, and since I am certain that I have passed, I do not wish to bring you any more sadness. I know we were close in life, and that's why I have to entrust this to you." There was a pause. Bengta had tears welling in her eyes, but she was holding them back for now. She didn't want to miss a word of Azura's dying wish.

"Bengta, your life exists as one of many possibilities. In fact, there are thousands upon thousands of people right now walking in your shoes in their very own existences. I have existed in many forms in all of these existences, too, but I have remained stagnant. You, on the other hand, have fluctuated greatly in who you have become and what choices you have made." Another pause. "I know this sounds confusing, and believe me, I would be hesitant to believe whatever I was hearing as well. However, you are currently in a world that is not your own. You are in a world in which the person in your shoes chooses not to side with Hoshido. Instead, the man in your stead, a prince by the name of Praeto, lead Nohr to victory, and overthrew Garon once he had defeated Hoshido. Unfortunately, though, many casualties were suffered. Ryoma... He's..."

Suddenly, in the background of the recording, a crashing noise was heard, and a squeak came from Azura on the other side. She gasped, and began to speak hurriedly.

"Bengta, I was only able to save you and your counterpart from this world. The Deeprealms... The Kingdom of Valla... The worlds in which all inhabit, they are all collapsing together, and soon, many of the shadowy figures you have encountered in the Deeprealms will pour into this world. They will not leave a single thing alive. However, you and your counterpart, the prince named Praeto, can save all of the worlds, and you will be able to return home through the Dragon's Gate, and the object contained within this sphere." Another crash, and another screech, Bengta jumped this time. "Go, and find the Wolfssegner named Velouria. She resides in the northwest, near the border with Hoshido. She will be able to take you to Praeto." Another crash, and finally, the orb dispelled, and from it, an amulet fell. An amulet in a similar style to the one that Azura wore, although the gem in the center was red, like the color of Bengta's own eyes. The Deeprealms... Multiple potentialities... A prince named Praeto, who is the same as Bengta... How did Azura come to know all of this? It made her head hurt.

Bengta stood up and looked around. She had known this place felt familiar, and the sudden stench of a bog finally assured her location. She was on the outskirts of the Woods of the Forlorn. Fifteen days ride from Windmire, twelve days from the area that Azura specified. If Azura was to be trusted with this, Nohr was in charge. Bengta look at herself, donning a kimono. It was a looser variety, more attuned for combat, dyed red on the outside and pure white on the inside, with white petals sewn into the fabric around the base. But it still utterly reeked of Hoshidian influence. She then sudden came upon a thought.

The Yato! Her weapon, the Blazing Yato, had to be nearby. She spun around on her heels, trying to locate her weapon. There was a blade lying nearby, and it look similar to the Yato, but was missing some of the key features. The blade was black down the center and grey around the blade, and the top two orbs, lit up with the power of Takumi and Ryoma, were now lit up with a purple glow tipped with black. Bengta lifted it up, and the moment she did, she felt an emptiness in the thing. Whereas the Yato called at her dragon blood, and pulled her forward, this new weapon seemed to pull at her soul.

[Acquired the Parallel Yato]

Bengta reached into a pouch she had stored on her back inside of her kimono, and pulled from it a dragonstone. She stared into it, breathed deeply, and tried to transform. Both of her arms started to change, but at that moment, she felt extreme pain break into her head. Suddenly, Bengta knew the thoughts of two people she did not recognize. One older man, with orange hair and a scar over his nose. Red, tired eyes, calling the blood of the Dusk Dragon. Another, a woman, daughter of the man she found in that instant. Red eyes, scar on the right cheek, wearing a large scarf around her neck. A childhood gift from her father. A name. A name. What is the name?

Kana.

Bengta flew backwards, hurling the dragonstone forward. It thumped into the grass and rolled for a few more feet before coming to a halt. Bengta was on her hands and knees, breathing heavily, sweating, nearly vomiting. She finally did vomit, and eventually fell back onto her rear. Kana... That was her son. Was... Was this the 'potentiality' that Azura spoke of? Was this what she meant? Was this Bengta's Kana? If not, where was Bengta's Kana? Her head hurt. Thoughts were racing through her head, but she was interrupted by a blade suddenly appearing from over her shoulder, pressed against the side of her neck. The voice of a young man sounded from behind her.

"Where did you get that sword?"

Bengta froze instinctively. The voice was familiar, but she wasn't sure from where. It felt as though it came out of the memories she had just tapped into. The voice spoke up again, more intensely this time.

"That is the Yato, right? Tell me, you vagrant, how did you get that sword?"

Bengta sighed. "It's mine. The Yato chose me."

The sword swung sideways away from her neck and cleaved through a nearby tree. It clattered to the ground, making Bengta jump. The blade was replaced against her neck. "You are a liar. What is your name, before I kill you?"

A pause. "My name is Bengta. I'm the former third princess of Nohr, and sitting queen of Hoshido." The blade began pressing into her neck, opening a small sliver and bringing out a trail of blood. Bengta lifted up her left hand, and turned her hand outwards, so the figure could see the rings on her finger. A golden wedding band was seated behind a slate grey band with a large purple stone dug in the center, with the symbol of the Dusk Dragon etched into it. She was given it as a child, as all of the princes and princesses were given, in order to identify them.

The man froze. Bengta used the hesitation to push the blade away from her neck with one hand, roll forward, and take hold of the Yato. She lifted it and pointed it at the man, taking the moment to look him over.

He was rather tall, and had messy orange hair that fell near his shoulders. They didn't reach, however, the most of his hair was pinned up behind his head, in a traditional Hoshidian samurai style. That alone was enough to surprise Bengta, but the fact that even his attire was that of a samurai was enough to surprise her. His weapon was a silver sword, Nohrian style, and Bengta noticed that he was checking something on his hand. On his left hand was the same exact ring that Bengta was wearing, and this man must have been checking to see if it truly was identical.

"How did you get that ring?" His powerful, demanding tone was now replaced by a lighter and more confused one. He didn't let down his guard, though, holding his blade at the ready the moment after he lowered his ring hand.

"I was given it at birth, in my own world." She answered this simply, standing upright, and slashing her blade out to the side. "How did you get your ring, boy?"

He snorted. "My name is Zechariah, and I am a prince of Nohr. Trained in the art of the sword since childhood." Zechariah glared at the woman. "So... Bengta, how do you expect me to believe that you're really a noble? And a queen of Hoshido? There already is a standing queen. Unless Hinoka married another woman, or something..."

Bengta flinched. "Hinoka? She's—"  
Zechariah grinned, and sprung forward, sending the flat of his blade against Bengta's wrist. The Yato flew from her hand and stuck in the turf. Zechariah threw his weapon aside and tackled Bengta, shoving her face down into the dirt, and restraining her hands behind her back. Once finished, he stood up and let out a puff.

"Jeez, you're pretty tough." He wiped some sweat from his forehead with his forearm, and scooped up Bengta over his shoulder, ignoring as she kicked at him and squirmed. "You're coming with me to Armada. My father will want to talk to you." She was hoisted into the air and thrown over the side of a small cart carrying bundles of weapons. The Yato, however, was strapped to the side of the boy's horse and kept away from its supposed master.

Bengta was still reeling from all that was happening. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and her heart was beating fast. She had left her world, and was now in a strange and warped reality where Nohr had won the war. Ryoma was dead, or so she presumed seeing as Hinoka sat on the throne of Hoshido. Praeto was her doppelganger, and she had gotten a glimpse into his life via their draconic connection mere minutes before. Tears were streaming down her cheeks now, falling to the wood floor of the cart she was strewn in. Night had come to Nohr, and the Queen of Hoshido.


	2. CHPT 2: Dawn of the First Day

Chapter Two

"Dawn of the First Day"

Four days had passed since a strange woman named Bengta entered the world of Praeto, and yet, not much had changed. The sun rose every morning, and set in the evenings, and no crises arrived. In fact, Praeto had no knowledge of this visitor, although he did have a moment in which he awoke in the middle of the night, screaming in agony, and nearly scaring the life out of his wife. Half of his face became draconic, and one of his arms, and the pain he felt was excruciating. The pendant he wore to control his draconic powers was what he claimed had staved off some sort of full transformation, but the moment was startling enough that he began to delve into some more ancient texts he had come into possession of involving others in ancient history who could channel dragon blood in order to fully transform.

The problem with this research was that very few in history had been able to transform. In the texts, it was claimed that there were at least eleven people in recorded history could transform into dragons. Six of these were from Nohr, four from Hoshido, and one claimed no allegiance. It was this non-allegiance individual that piqued Praeto's interest, not only for the fact that it involved someone from unknown origin, but also for the fact that this section had the most information involving the subject. Praeto ascribed this to the fact that the author of the text was living alongside the subject of the piece.

The common theme Praeto had found while reading was that every one of these people in history had not only been users of Yato, but had been a part in stopping some sort of large evil that seemingly came from nowhere. Accounts varied, but the most interesting thing Praeto noted was that these evils seemed to line up with something that Praeto was knowledgeable of. This realization, coming a day and a half after he began searching, caused him to jump and nearly knock over his lantern. Mozu jumped too, and approached Praeto gently after he began ripping through war journals from seventeen years past.

"Honey..." she cooed into his ear, resting a hand on his back. "Did you find something?"

Praeto nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah..." He flipped through a journal detailing a battle that had taken place while visiting Kana. Mozu knew this battle well, it was when Mozu was found to be able to transform into a dragon. Zeres let out an affirmative, "Ah-Ha!" and slammed a finger down on a page. "The accounts of these enemies in all of these texts line up with this invisible soldiers that we came across during the war!"

Mozu blinked a few times. "You mean those things that kept coming whenever we entered a Deeprealm?" Zeres affirmed her question with a nod. She continued. "So, we know they've been around since ancient times. How does this help us with your strange transformation?"

"It doesn't." He stood, and Mozu looked confusedly at him for a moment, before he clarified. "Whatever details I can even pull about people like me would be up for debate, due to the sheer difference in age and actual quality of information. Besides," he handed her a tome. It was labeled, _The Legend of Hdraglar the Red_. "These read as tales. For all I know, I'm the first person in history who can actually turn into a dragon."

Mozu frowned. "So, we have no idea whether or not that transformation was normal, or whether or not they properly described the invisible soldiers?."

Praeto nodded. "And, I'd bet, we'll never know for sure."

"But what if that was some sort of a bad thing?" Mozu set the tome down on the desk again. "You do realize that something similar may have happened to Kana, right?"

Praeto sighed. "Yes, of course I realize this. However, after that moment, I haven't experienced a thing out of the ordinary. Therefore, I've become less worried over time." He picked up a volume from the table, and handed it to Mozu. "This is the one I'm most interested in, because it's the most recent, and the most succinctly written. Unlike the others, I'm almost certain that this one is a mostly true account."

 _Cerulean Dragon_ was the name of the work, and the author had his name taken away, so it was written by a curious "Nameless". Mozu gently opened the ancient thing and was greeted by a cloud of dust and the smell of must. It accounted the tale of a certain woman whose name was also curiously left out, but she described as a beautiful, well-endowed woman of mysterious origin who could transform, at least partially, from reasoning, into a dragon. The first part was about seventy pages from Mozu's counting, and from her glossing she found it told the tale of this woman and a band she travelled with. They are about to tackle some sort of large evil by the end of part one, but it trails off into a second book which is filled with poetry. The first one was something that both Mozu and Praeto found familiar.

 _You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek_

 _Life beyond the shore, just out of reach_

 _Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time_

 _The path is yours to climb_

The song went on to completion, but only the first stanza was needed to inform the couple of what they were reading. This was the song that Azura sung during the war, many times, that took a toll on her being and ate away at her soul. Mozu, upon realizing this, looked up at Praeto with wide eyes.

"What does this mean, Praeto? Why did Azura sing this song?"

Praeto rested his finger on the description of the song. Specifically, he pointed at one line, that read, " _This is a song of purification_ ". He then tapped the pendant around his neck. "When I first transformed, and lost control, I nearly killed Azura. She did, however, sing me this song. I heard her singing it to Kana, too, when she lost control. This isn't just a poem, it's something of mysterious power that is begging to be studied."

Mozu nodded slowly. "Yes, but I feel as though only certain people can access the power of this song. Azura is dead, and she never had any children."

Praeto scratched his chin now. He never really anticipated this, despite the fact the thought was gnawing at the back of his mind from the beginning. He hummed the song in thought momentarily, and then sighed. "I've got no ideas."

She smiled at him and gave him a gentle pat on the back. "It'll be fine, my love. We can think of something later. For now, so long as you're feeling better, I think we should get downstairs and have tea. I'm sure the maids can whip that apprehension right out of you, and then we can get back to trying to find something to do."

The pair did just that, went to the ground floor of the fortress and ate sandwiches and drank tea, and later went out on a ride along the fringes of their fortress's holding on horseback. A light snow came in the night, promising even colder nights to come. Winter was approaching, and once again, darkness fell on Armada.

"Papa! Papa!" The shrill voice of Kana chimed in Praeto's ear, perking him up from his book. She stood in the entrance to his tower's balcony, and was smiling at him so wide that her two fangs protruded out of her lips. When she came out of the Deeprealm, she was thirteen years old. Now, despite technically being in her thirties, she looked and was physically and mentally aged into her late teens, approximately nineteen by Praeto's summation. At first, he was worried that the Deeprealm had also stunted her growth, but at about seventeen years physically, later-twenties technically, Praeto put that to ease and chalked her height up to simply being short. Kana had hardly grown any taller, and stood at a measly five feet, one inch tall, and probably didn't weigh much more than one hundred pounds. She was the happiest girl the world had ever known, and the very breath in Praeto's life. "Papa, I've missed you so much!"

Praeto sprang to his feet and whirled around, and sprinted at Kana, scooping his daughter up in an embrace. The two spun around for a bit, and Kana laughed wildly, before being set back onto her feet. Praeto grinned and stooped down, kissing his daughter on the forehead. "And I missed you, my dear." The two had been apart for about six months while Kana travelled the northern reaches of the province. Supposedly, one of the villages even regarded her a goddess. That letter was a particularly fun read. "Is Miia home as well?"

Kana nodded excitedly. "Yeah, we met up when we gave out reports to Uncle Xander. Her trip to the south was fruitful. You're going to love her report!"

Praeto pat the head of his daughter. "I would have loved it no matter what happened. How fair things in the north? Is the Ice Tribe well?"

His daughter bounced happily. "They're all well! They called me up to help them clear out a nest of bandits that was attacking the locals. And, well, it ended up leading into a huge showdown in a bandit castle, and I had to put him to the sword." She frowned. "I'm sorry about that, Papa. I know we're trying to be a peaceful nation... He just wouldn't listen to reason, and attacked me!"

Praeto just smiled, and ruffled Kana's hair. "You did what you had to, love. I'm proud of you nonetheless."

Kana grinned what Praeto now saw as a trademarked one, and hugged her father again, and after a moment, the pair eventually went downstairs. Praeto's younger daughter and wife awaited him. Miia was taller than Kana, but only by two inches, and despite being only fifteen years of age she was probably the most mature of the children. She was also easily the most human-like of the children, because even Praeto couldn't continue admitting to himself he was just a strangely draconic human. Miia had normal ears, not pointed like Praeto's, and despite having the ruby eyes that were strange to normal people, her pupils returned to the normal human kinds, and were no longer elongated like his or Kana's.

She gave a courteous bow. "Father. I'm glad to see you again." Miia stood upright and pushed the same bright orange hair her father had back behind her ear. Unlike Kana, Miia held herself much like a member of the court should; she was proper and spoke gently, but already proved to be extremely intelligent and a cunning politician. Xander promised her a high position in his court when she came of age, and it was something that Miia held in great honor, even more than her family name as third daughter of one of the War's great heroes.

Praeto hugged his daughter, gently patting her back while he did so. "No need to be so formal, Miia. You know this is just as much your home as it is mine." He broke the hug and took a step backwards, reciprocating the bow with one of his own. "I heard word of your time in Hoshido. I take it our family there is doing well?"

Miia nodded. "I was unable to see Honoka, but from what Sakura told me, she is well." She paused. "Sakura misses you quite dearly, father. Perhaps you could send word to her soon?"

Praeto mused for a moment on the thought, stroking his chin slowly. "Ah yes, it must have been five years since your aunt and I last saw each other. I'll have to send her a letter soon." He looked over his shoulder at a nearby maid, standing in the doorway leading to the dining hall. "Please make of note of that, Pricilla. We'll draft a letter tonight."

The girl, clearly aged no older than nineteen, nodded once. Her hair was a deep violet color and matched her eyes almost perfectly, which glinted with small green flecks dotting the whole of her irises. She wore a sleeveless black maid's dress with partial sleeves covering both arms up to her upper arm, which hung off loosely closer to her wrists. Her hair was long and fell to her mid-back, and a simple frilly maid's headdress held back her bangs without trouble, although she allowed some to come down and completely cover her right eye.

"Right away, Master. Shall I prepare the formal parchment?"

Praeto waved his hand dismissively. "We can do get it together later tonight. If you could have Suri make us some tea, I'd be grateful."

Priscilla nodded once again. "Of course, Master." With a bow, she saw herself out.

Miia had her eyes trained on the maid the entire time, and when Praeto turned back to her, she snapped her eyes back to him. Praeto grinned, however. "You can feel her strength, can't you?"

Miia nodded slowly. "Even from there, I could see it on her." She shuddered. "I don't remember her. Where did she come from?"

"I found her abandoned in a local village, begging for scraps about four months ago. She has no memory, cannot read or write, and didn't even know her own name." Praeto shrugged. "You could say that I've kind of made her my new project. What I did find, though, is that she's incredibly skilled with varieties of weapons and is high aptitude for magic. Her swordsmanship is par to none but myself, and Mozu has been training her with a spear and bow. Soon, she'll be classified as my Master of Arms, and your mother can finally retire as my personal bodyguard."

Mozu chuckled. "Oh dear, you're probably going to need the extra bodyguard. You're becoming such a handful with your studies!"

Kana chimed in, clapping her hands together a few times. "Oh, oh! Papa! Can you take me out to the town tomorrow? I'd love to see the locals again!"

Praeto chuckled and ruffled Kana's hair. "Of course, dear, of course. We can all go together, as a family."

* * *

The town at the base of the mountains that housed Armada was called Groveshire, and was a large village built out of wicker and wooden buildings on top of stone foundations and floors. These types of buildings of various styles and ages went on into the distance, creating a rural metropolis that had a population in the thirty thousand. These people were those who fled from the power of Ganon, and looked for a new life near the mountains. The vast plane with only small groves of trees and rolling paddies of rice allowed for the town to be protected from sneak attacks, and allotted time for people to evacuate into the mountains for safety. This made it a prime place for living during the War of Kingdoms, when Cheve rebelled and attempted to vie for freedom. Cheve was ultimately all but destroyed, and its surviving inhabitants displaced, eventually settling in the nearby Gorveshire.

Praeto had led the attack on Cheve but opposed its destruction, but with hands tied it was out of his control, and the town was nearly entirely destroyed. He was given credit by an evil man named Hans and with it he felt great shame, and has overseen the growth of Groveshire as an unofficial governor of sort. The majority of people were grateful for the leadership of Praeto, who ensured proper food and supply shipments to the town to keep strain off of the poor agriculture of the surround fields of rice paddies. The life of this city was booming, and the sight of it brought a smile to the face of its unofficial governor.

Praeto, Mozu, Kana, and Miia had come along on the trip, as well as the maid Priscilla to act as both a guardian and a pack-mule, since both Miia and Kana had a tendency to quite literally shop until the person carrying the luggage dropped. The main street leading through the center of town was a bazaar of many small stands bustling to sell items to whomever might pass. The street was quite full of people too, clamoring around one another in a sea of bobbing heads. Praeto passed around people, followed closely by the rest of his band.

Kana tugged on his sleeve. "Papa! Papa!" Praeto turned to face her, and she was already approaching a stand. She spun around and held out a stone ring to Praeto, eyes glinting in joy. A deep red stone sat in the center of the ring, and glowed with a mysterious energy. Praeto raised and eyebrow, and lifted it closer to his face, addressing the shop keeper.

"What kind of stone is this?"

The shopkeeper was stereotypical man; jittery, excitable, and dying to make a sale. He grinned. "Why, my dear sir, that happens to be an incredibly rare item known as Bloodstone. It's a divine stone that is said to have fallen from the scale of a great dragon long ago, compressed with the ages, and left in a bright red color. It's used by many mages to help channel curses and powerful sorceries, but is also a beautiful stone for common wear."

Praeto nodded a few times. "Interesting. How much are you asking for such a rare item?"

The man lifted a hand holding up three fingers. "Three thousand of the King's gold pieces, and the ring is yours. You won't find a ring like that in Windmire for that price, I promise you that!"

Praeto unclasped his coin purse from his hip and turned over a slip of rolled up paper with the Dusk Dragon imprinted onto it. He handed it to the man who stared at it inquisitively, before shaking his head. "I'm sorry my sir, but I can only accept the King's gold. Anything other nation's currency is not acceptable."

"Yes, if you go to any treasury and exchange that paper, you will receive five thousand gold pieces. The extra is for the cost of travel" Praeto held out his right hand, revealing that Nohrian Royal symbol on his ring. "Your gold will come to you. Tell them that Prince Praeto of Nohr, first of his name, sent you with that paper."

The man smiled brightly, bowing his head several times respectfully. "Yes sir, thank you for blessing my shop with your presence."

With a turn of the heel, the party was back into the street again, walking down nonchalantly. Kana walked beside Praeto, swinging her arms loosely at her sides happily, humming a gentle tune. She wore the ring with a coy grin, checking on it a few times as if to assure herself it was still there. Miia caught up, and spoke.

"You paid that man five thousand pieces for a ring that wasn't worth one thousand. Why?" She raised an eyebrow, casting a stoney glance at her older sister.

Praeto shrugged. "That man was one hell of a salesman. Besides," Praeto reached down and pat Miia on the top of the head. Praeto was hardly taller than Miia, only five feet seven inches or so, making the move feel all the more patronizing. "I would do anything for you and your sister. If you had asked me for a ring, I would acquire it for you, no matter the cost."

Miia was about to respond, but an explosion sounded in the distance. Shocked, groups of people began sprinting in the opposite direction, bowling past the family. Mozu stepped forward, defensively gripping onto the sleeve of Kana, her nearest child. Miia, on the other hand, was covered by an outstretched arm of Praeto, who swallowed audibly, looking up into the sky. Screeching into the midday sky was the figure of a gigantic stoneborn golem, standing twenty-five feet tall, but one Praeto had never seen before. It was made of crumbling stone and covered in fuzzy moss, and half obscured by some sort of purplish invisibility magic. Pour out from around its feet were soldier covered on and off by the same purplish invisibility. Miia was entirely perplexed, as well as Priscilla, who had moved forward in defense of her master, but the other three automatically recalled what these things were.

"Mozu..." Praeto took a step back, pushing Miia slightly back with him.

Mozu nodded once, pulling Kana back as well. "Those are the same things from before." She gulped. "They were there. They come from the Deeprealms."

"Priscilla!"

Praeto's call made the maid flinch slightly. "Yes, Lord?"

Praeto stepped forward, drawing his sword from his side. The golden blade glowed with a purple and red hue, letting off a hissing aura of pure energy. Mozu stepped forward as well. The crowd of people running past them included several of the town's guard, who equipped themselves with iron lances. One of these lances lay on the dusty street, so Mozu picked it up for herself. Kana, in turn with her father, drew her sword, and Miia pulled a small lantern from her bag, which floated on its own at her side.

"Return to Armada, and round up the garrison there. The four of us can hold them off for now, but we need to stop them from destroying the city."

Priscilla shook her head. "With all due respect, Lord Praeto, I simply must decline. My duty is to protect you, and should something happen to you, I will have failed in my duty."

Praeto whipped his head around to look at her, passion burning deep in her red eyes. His pupils had slid back and become even more draconic, and they glinted in the light of rising flames. "Go, now. That is an order."

[Mission 1: Assault on Groveshire]

[Parameters: Survive]

[Party Members Added]

[Praeto: LV 20 Swordsmaster]

[Mozu: LV 20 Master of Arms]

[Kana: LV 20 Swordsmaster]

[Miia: Lv 30 Witch]

[Mission: Start]

Praeto sprinted forward, sword trailing his side. He roared, lunging forward, and sending his blade piercing through the nearest shadowy figure. The blade pierced directly though the chest of the creature, who let out a screech and evaporated into a cloud of smoke. Mozu ran up behind him, vaulting off of his turned back, and sending a spear through the head of a nearby figure on the counterattack. Praeto snickered. "That was a bit risky, don't you think?"

Mozu blocked the downward swing of an enemy, rebuffing them easily, and send a spear down through the knee of her opponent. It dropped, and with a powerful stomp, the creature evaporated. "I've always been about life or death. You should know that dear!"

A ball of flame whizzed by Mozu, crashing in a violent explosion against an approaching shadow. A lantern was revolving around Miia, who was chanting indecipherably under her breath. A black pointed hat had now appeared on her head, and a small fluffy toy was hovering around her, opposite to the lantern. Kana was busy fighting back people enclosing on Miia, slashing through figure after figure with ease.

More figures came spilling out from around the titan, who was unmoving. The thing was staring into the far distance, away from the group fighting back. Flames began taking more and more buildings, but the titan did not mind, and remained motionless.

"It must be guarding the entranceway!" Praeto called to Mozu, who was ducking under the swipe of a figure's axe. She swiftly countered with a dagger she kept at her waist, jamming it into the face of her assailant. "I'm going to attack it! Miia!"

"Right!" A purple ring of many runes appeared underneath Praeto, and in an instant, he was floating in the sky above the titan. He pressed down on seemingly nothing and sprang forward, flying very quickly towards the titan. The Yato was humming, and the dragonstone in a pendant around his neck glowed.

"I make my own fate!"

Praeto brought his blade across the beast, attempting to decapitate it. He was successful, and the plate-like mask that made up the titan's head clattered to the ground. Praeto landed, and for a moment, saw that the lower half of the colossus was still in the portal, which was glowing purple and leaking black miasma. It reminded Praeto of the openings to the Deeprealm, where the children were placed during the war. His hunch was correct; these were the same creatures as then. But why were they here now? What purpose did they serve?

He had regained his footing for but a moment before he felt a shadow descending upon him. He looked up, and one of the fists of the decapitated titan was raging towards him. It struck him on the side, and like a small toy, Praeto was strewn into the side of a nearby building, firing through the wall and into the interior of the building, finally coming to a rest against the wall. Propped up against the wall, Praeto stared through half-open eyes through the building he had burst into. Outside, the sounds of clashing weapons sounded, along with a powerful rumbling of the ground. How did he fail? Nohrian stoneborn are controlled by the head; they collapse when the head is removed, and return to a pile of rubble. The head was cleanly removed, and yet, the weapon still stood.

The thoughts raced in his head, as he pushed back onto his feet, using his sword as a brace. He winced, trying to move his left arm to his ribs, but it was unresponsive. His ribs were destroyed. His left arm shattered, He coughed, and when he touched the back of his hand to his lips, he saw blood. Still, he limped on, dragging himself forward. Miia needed him. Kana needed him. Mozu needed him. The dragonstone around his neck was calling to his dragon blood, and with a final dip of his head, Praeto collapsed to the ground, the Yato clattering in front of him. He reached out his hand, straining for his weapon, but could not move. Priscilla would be quite a ways away, and even if this attack had been known to be coming, no reinforcements were on the horizon. Praeto would have known.

Darkness clawed at his vision every time he blinked. Whenever his eyes reopened, he saw nothing but blurring lights and the movement of shadows. His eyes finally could have no more, and his slunk into total darkness on the wicker floor. Midnight had come to the Prince of Nohr.


	3. CHPT 3: Continue?

Chapter Three

"Continue?"

Bengta jerked awake. She was perched against the side of the boy's cart, hands bound in front of her body now, leanings against the bare wooden wall. The sun had risen, meaning she slept through the night. Her neck was incredibly stiff, as well as her joints. At the very least, he was not making her walk as many jailors would, so she could find comfort in that. The skies were overcast, as they often were in Nohr, and the wetness of the wind promised the arrival of rain. "Where are we going, boy?" Her voice was cracked and dry. She hadn't had any water in some time, and was quite thirsty.

"There is water in that keg across from you." Bengta looked up, and was staring directly at a wooden barrel on its side. A waterskin was tied to the side. "You should be able to move your hands enough to open it. I didn't tie them particularly tight." Bengta scrambled forward and pulled the cork off the side of the barrel. Without even reach for the skin, she ducked her head under the stream of water and took in many mouthfuls of water.

Zechariah snickered. "Gods, you're quite the beast. To answer your question, we're going to my father's castle in the mountains. Formerly known as the Northern Fortress, my father renamed it Armada, which was its original name."

Bengta raised an eyebrow. Even she didn't know that, despite having grown up there as a child. "Why are you taking me? Because of my Yato?"

Zechariah nodded once. "Yes ma'am. That sword is the rightful belonging of my father. I'm confused as to why it has changed color, but it is very clearly the Shadow Yato, and that weapon belongs to my father." The boy scratched his chin. "Even if it was some knock-off replica, the ring you're wearing is very clearly not. That makes things even more suspicious for you."

Bengta nodded slowly, settling back in against the wall of the cart. Several things here were different from her timeline. Firstly, Bengta was taken away immediately after Hoshido ended the war. In this timeline, if the person she was here to find was indeed a representation of herself, then this must be some time in the future. How far along were they? How devistating was the war? Who was still alive, and who was dead? Her mind was racing as the cart came over the rest of the hill, and the breathing of the boy driving fell quiet. Bengta peered her head over the edge of the cart and gasped, taking in the scene before her.

In the distance, across a massive plain, a village was a small smoldering dot in the distance. Huge plumes of black smoke rose into the sky, but from what Bengta could tell, no live flames still burned. This smoke poured from the ashes of the city, still ripe with embers from her summation. The promised rain finally began falling, as the figure of Zechariah became extremely rigid.

"Bengta, can I trust you?"

Bengta raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I'm certainly not going to run. I have nowhere to go." She nodded. "So, yes. You can trust me, Zechariah."

A dagger came flying from Zechariah so quickly that Bengta could hardly recognize it until it had already sliced through the gap in between her wrists, removing the rope instantly. He flipped backwards, landing on the brace holding the cart to his horse, and in one movement, removed it from the horse. He reached her hand backwards. "We need to move!"

Bengta nodded once and took his hand, allowing herself to be pulled onto the back of the horse with Zechariah. He spurred the horse onward, and the two took off for the ruins of Groveshire, Bengta was informed. She just hoped that for whatever had happened there, the two were not too late.

* * *

 _You have to wake up, Praeto._

Silence. Praeto did not dare flinch, for every time he did, his body screamed out in agony. His eyes were being forcefully held shut, but the voice sounded again.

 _You have to wake up, Praeto._

Praeto opened his eyes slowly, and suddenly, he was standing in a grassy field of flowers. The sun shone brightly overhead, nearly blinding him. A light breeze played with the longer strands of his hair, and the smell was slightly sweet, reminiscent of an event he couldn't quite place a finger on.

"Am I... Dead?" he wondered aloud, looking side to side, and finally behind him. What had caused him great pain previously now felt like nothing. As if some great force was draining the pain out of him, leaving him warm and numb.

 _It is not yet your time, my son. You must press on, and live another day._

Praeto spun on his heel, and before him was the former Queen of Hoshido, and true mother to Praeto. Hinoka, wife of Sumeragi, and gentle ruler of a once free Hoshido.

"Mother?" Praeto blinked a few times in stunned silence. "Why are you here? How are you here?" He looked around a few more times, seeing nothing else by green pasture and pink flowers dotting them. "Where am I?"

Mikoto smiled.

 _My child, you've grown so much. You've gotten a family of your own, and you live in peace. Truly, I could not have wished a better life for my only son._

Praeto shook his head. "This peace was built on the lives of so many innocents. When I joined the war, I sided with Nohr. Your home... My homeland... We tore it to peaces, mother."

 _I am aware of this, but tell me my son: do you think your decision was the correct one?_

"I'm honestly not sure any more. I have been sure for years. What would have changed if I had left for Hoshido? What would have happened if I had not stayed at all, and left either side for my own accord? What could have happened?" He sighed.

 _No matter where you would have gone, blood would have been shed, my son. A great deal of it, even. If you had not been in Nohr, things would have been even harder on the people. Garon would have been even harsher, and more people would have died._

Before Praeto could speak, Hinoka continued.

 _And even in choosing your own path, nothing would have changed. Without you on either side, the war would have been persecuted by the men sitting in the capitals, and many would have died. No matter the choice, it all would have ended in equal amounts of bloodshed. Equal amounts of suffering for both kingdoms. And, for that, I cannot be upset by your choice. You chose to lead your own life in the kingdom that raised you, and you lead your people valiantly._

Praeto felt tears behind his eyes. "Mother... I..." He paused, looking at the ground. "Thank you, mother. I feel as though things have been made clear to me again."

Hinoka smiled.

 _I'm glad, my son. But you respite here is not for much longer, for you are needed in your world, and in your time. You will return to this place before long, but for the time being, you have a mission to complete. You face a threat greater than anything you could have imagined._

Mikoto waved her hands outwards, and many images became displayed in front of her. Familiar scenes with familiar people played out, but rather than Praeto in his correct spot, others were acting. "What is this?" Praeto demanded, rubbing his eyes as if to see if they were simply clouded and he was deceived. "These are like my memories, but they are not me. What are you trying to show me?"

 _Your life exists as one of many possibilities in one of many different realities. All of these realities are separated from one another, but all equally as real. The bridge between them lies in what you call the Deeprealm, which is a fabric of reality that exists to bridge space and time. Some of these worlds have whomever you become side with Hoshido instead, and some decide to side with no one at all. And many more do not make it to the end of their stories, and die on the journey._

Praeto grabbed the sides of his head in pain. The information being unloaded onto him was unbearably dense and made his head throb. "Why are you showing me this? Why does this matter?"

 _\The fabric of the Deeprealms has been disturbed, Praeto. Across these infinite timelines, something has happened to cause the fabric of reality to begin to unweave, and your world exists in the epicenter. I am unsure why the worlds are collapsing in on themselves, but I can only be sure that this world, for whatever reason, lies as the center, and will receive the very worst of all the fates of all other worlds._

The world around Praeto began shaking violently, and what he saw shook like they were mere afterimages. "What's happening?" Praeto whipped his head around to his mother, who wore a pained expression on her face.

 _Your time in this world has ended, and your soul is being rejected. Remember, Praeto, you've faced these enemies before. They are dispatched by an evil even I cannot see and seek only death and destruction on a global scale. Your timeline will receive the greatest assault, beginning with what you saw and Groveshire, and expanding to absorb the entirety of your world._

Mikoto held out her hand, and in it was the exact same pendant Praeto had been wearing when he passed out. She smiled.

 _Your friend, Azura, was able to pull another one of your possibilities into this world. Her name is Bengta, and she will be wearing a pendant like this one. Train her in the art of the Dread Scroll, and make her into the fighter that will save your reality, and restore all other realities, once and for all._

Small tears streamed down the Queen's cheeks, and her eyes grew cloudy and sad.

 _I'm afraid this is where we will depart until you come to join me in the world permanently. Farewell, my son. May you have the speed of Gods on your journey, and may you make your own Fate, once and for all._

Praeto reached out his hand, crying out "Mother!" as he did so, but to no avail. Mikoto turned away from her son and vanished in a brilliant ball of light, and the next blink Praeto made sent him spiraling into darkness.

* * *

Bengta dismounted from Zechariah's horse and padded forward down the muddy main street. Bodies of civilians lined the streets, and many of the buildings were entirely burnt out and left in total ruin. Bengta covered her mouth with the palm of her left hand, trying to both keep herself from crying and from vomiting from the sight. "What... Happened here?"

Zechariah shook her head, and began walking forward again. Bengta followed him. "Whatever happened here, I see not sign of enemy troops." he thought aloud, looking over the human remains left here and there. "Not a single person that is dead here is wearing anything but civilian clothing. What kind of creature could lead this kind of attack?"

The pair heard footsteps ahead and both drew weapons preemptively. Two Nohrian soldier rounded the corner, and drew weapons as well, leave the two pairs the stand off for a moment. After that moment passed, one of the guard blinked a few times and nudged the man next to him. "Hey, isn't that Prince Zechariah?"

Zechariah stood upright and sheathed his sword, nodding once. "Yes, at ease men." He spoke this before the men were even able to salute, so they shrugged and sheathed their weapons as well. Bengta stood more casually, but held her sword at her side, gripping it tightly. "Men, what happened here?"

The pair looked at each other, as if deciding which one would have to tell the Prince. Finally, the shorter of the men stepped forward, and bowed his head once. "My Lord, there was an assault of Groveshire lead by a mysterious group of men who were apparently able to both turn invisible, and upon dying, vanished in a cloud of mist. Your father, mother, and two sisters lead the counterattack themselves while reinforcements were summoned up."

All of the color visibly faded from Zechariah, who clenched his fists very tightly. Bengta flinched at the sight. "And were the successful in repelling the invasion?"

The guard averted his eyes. "Lord Praeto had a severely broken left arm; so severe it will take quite a while before he will be healed. The majority of the ribs on the right side of his body were also broken, and he is still in a comatose state."

A long period of silence was only disturbed by the rain, which was now rushing down even harder than it was before. "And what of the rest of my family?"

"Lady Kana and Lady Miia only have minor injuries, but Lady Mozu... She's..." He trailed off, prompting Zechariah to step forward and take the guard by both shoulders and shake him wildly.

"What of my mother? Speak, dammit!"

The man sighed, breaking free of Zechariah's grip and taking a single step back.

"She took a blow for Lady Kana during the assault, and is also in a comatose. Whereas Lord Praeto has a good chance for recovery, your mother may have been mortally wounded."

Zechariah pushed the man aside and sprinted forward, winding the corner and vnishing out of sight. Bengta trailed after him, silently running past the soldier who was looking dejectedly at the ground. As she passed, she could hear the man speaking to his friend.

"Poor kid... He doesn't know anything about war, and yet, here it is, on his doorstep."

Bengta rounded the corner, and found a great deal of soldier padding around, carrying bodies wrapped in bloodied white cloth and laying them next to one another in rows. A larger cluster was in the center of the street, standing in a circle in the rain. Two girls crouched on the ground, one weeping loudly, and the other staring in stunned silence. Zechariah stood between the two of them, stiff as a board, staring at the ground. Finally, after a moment, it was clear his strength had left him, and he collapsed onto his hands and knees, weeping quietly.

Laying on the ground was the broken body of a man with an orange mop-top, covered in blood, and with his arm tightly bound and braced over his chest. A large scar ran over the top of his nose, and his eyes looked tired even as he slept. Next to him was a figure Bengta had known; Mozu, a farm girl who had served in her militia during the war. Mozu had no aptitude as a fighter, and spent her time working around camp rather than fighting in Hoshido. But this Mozu wore the garb of a Master of Arms, a high rank in the Hoshidian army, meaning this version of Mozu was very powerful indeed.

Bengta stepped forward, kneeling beside the weeping girl for a closer look at the two bodies. Mozu was wrapped in bandages around the waist, which glistened red with her blood. Praeto was wrapped tightly in bandages to splint his ribs, and his arm was also splinted, which was broken in several places. Bengta felt a strange calling in her blood to reach out to the man and touch him. She was unsure where this urge came from, and struggled to keep it back, but relented and reached out, resting her palm on Praeto. A pendant around her neck lit up with a brilliant blue light, and a pendant around Praeto's neck lit up in bright purple, and suddenly, his eyes shot open, and he was awake again.

He tried to move but was clearly in extreme pain, so instead he called out. "My family, is my family okay?"

The girl who was weeping beside Bengta crawled forward, even more tears welling up in her eyes. "Papa! You're awake, Papa!" She gently hugged him, and Bengta saw a small smile play on her face.

"Yes, my love. Now is not my time." He turned his head slightly, wincing as he did so, and all of the color left his face upon seeing Mozu. "M-Mozu..." He reached his right arm over his body, clearly in great pain, but persisted, eventually reaching over to her. He took a handful of her shirt and shook her slightly, but got no response. "Mozu... Oh gods, Mozu..."

Kana sniffled. "She... She saved me during the attack. I tried to reach you after you were hit, but I was attacked. Momma jumped out and was stabbed, and then I got really, really mad, Papa... And Miia got really, really mad Papa..." Kana looked around, prompting Bengta to as well, revealing huge chunks missing from buildings in the shape of a sphere. As if a gigantic explosion had taken place above the ground. "When I was able to calm down and think, everyone was dead. The Stoneborn was dead, and all of the invisible guys were dead." Bengta noticed as Zechariah dug his fingers into the ground. "I'm really sorry, Papa, I know I promised not to use my powers, but I just couldn't control myself anymore."

Praeto reached up and rested his hand on Kana's face, pulling a strong smile on to help her calm down. "I'm proud of you my little dragon. You've become strong, just like your mother and father." He turned his head back to Mozu, who was breathing very shallowly. "Your mother will survive, Kana, I just know it."

Bengta stood up and turned around, taking a seat upon a nearby wooden beam. It was time for this family to mourn and recuperate, but her thoughts trailed to her own family. Ryoma, Kana, and Shiro. Were they all alive, somewhere out there? Did they even know she was gone? Were they looking for her now? Whatever the case may be, Bengta realized, war had come to this reality, and now the children of Praeto, her doppleganger from another reality, were finally realizing the horrors of war.


End file.
